- Patrick Heron, 54, agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors ahead of a trial on more than 200 felony charges
- The charges included sexual assault and child abduction
- The crimes occurred over a period of almost 20 years between 2005 and 2022
A former Philadelphia police officer has pleaded guilty to a series of sex crimes against young women and girls – before being sentenced to 15 to 40 years in prison.
Patrick Heron, 54, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors before trial for 200 crimes – including sexual assault and kidnapping of children – committed over a nearly 20-year period between 2005 and 2022.
Heron retired from the Philadelphia Police Department in 2019 after working in two stations there, one between 1995 and 2008 and another between 2010 and 2019.
He was first arrested in September 2022 for offenses related to unlawful sexual contact with young girls, photographs of sexual acts with young girls, and retaliation and harassment of victims and witnesses.
The arrest came after a months-long investigation by Philadelphia District Attorney investigators and prosecutors.
Former Philadelphia police officer Patrick Heron, 54, pleaded guilty Friday to a series of charges including child sexual assault and kidnapping
He was first arrested in September 2022 for offenses related to sexual contact with young girls and retaliation against victims and witnesses
Heron was released and re-arrested on 233 new charges, including kidnapping and child sexual abuse
Heron was being held on $2 million bail. “There are few crimes more detrimental to public safety and community trust in institutions than witness intimidation, harassment and retaliation,” said Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krassner.
He added that the allegations against Heron were “among the most alarming, sensitive and serious” that detectives and prosecutors in his administration had investigated.
Heron was subsequently released – but in June 2023, the DA’s office announced that he had been rearrested “on 233 new charges,” including kidnapping, sexual assault, child sexual abuse and institutional sexual assault.
Heron faced 19 new criminal cases, a total of 21 cases, involving alleged sexual abuse and assaults on young girls and women, as well as threats against witnesses.
Some of the abuse is said to have taken place while Heron was on duty.
“The 19 new cases and 233 indictments we filed today against former Philadelphia police officer Patrick Heron allege shocking criminal behavior against young girls and extremely vulnerable women,” said Assistant District Attorney Lyandra Retacco.
“The implications of what appears to be serial misconduct are almost too terrible to contemplate.”
Heron’s victims were described as “young girls and extremely vulnerable women” and many of the abuses occurred while he was on duty
The disgraced ex-police officer agreed to a compromise with prosecutors after originally facing a prison sentence of up to 1,300 years
Friday’s guilty plea came as Heron faced up to 1,300 years in prison if found guilty on the more than 200 charges he faces.
So far, investigators have been able to identify 48 victims. However, this number could continue to rise as victims come forward.
The disgraced former police officer must register under Megan’s Law, which requires federal law enforcement agencies to make information about registered sex offenders available to the public.
Heron did not speak in court Friday.